Method and system for monitoring module power information in a communication device

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for monitoring operating status of a device are provided. Aspects of the method may include receiving within a chip, a signal indicative of a power information of an on-chip device. An output signal indicative of the power information may be generated from within the chip, while the chip is operating. The generated output signal may be communicated outside the chip via a serial bus, a plurality of pin connections on said chip, and/or a general purpose input/output connection. The generated output signal may be multiplexed on at least one pin on the chip and it may comprise a clock signal and/or a data signal. The data signal may comprise sequential power information for a plurality of on-chip devices.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS/INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/933,371 (Attorney Docket No. 15615US02), filed Sep. 2, 2004,which makes reference to, claims priority to, and claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/577,263 (Attorney Docket No.15615US01) filed Jun. 4, 2004 and entitled “Method And System ForMonitoring Module Power Status In A Communication Device.”

The above stated applications are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Certain embodiments of the invention relate to monitoring operatingstatus of a communication device. More specifically, certain embodimentsof the invention relate to a method and system for monitoring powerinformation of various modules in a communication device such as awireless handset.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Power usage is an important factor in wireless communications,especially for mobile communication devices that have a very limitedbattery capacity. With on-going development of wireless technology,there is a constant effort to reduce power consumption on these mobilecommunication devices such as wireless handsets. Reduction of powerconsumption in a wireless handset may necessitate reduction in the realestate of the silicon on a chip. In addition, power consumption withinthe chip may need to be analyzed so that more optimal use of the powerresources within a wireless handset is accomplished.

A conventional method of analyzing power consumption within a chip is byutilizing liquid crystals. In this regard, a chip may be decapped byremoving the plastic cover from its top and depositing liquid crystalson the surface of the decapped chip. The chip may then be powered-up andconfigured to operate in a certain operating mode. Certain moduleswithin the chip may utilize excessive power due to, for example, beingturned on for a prolonged period of time. Due to the continuous orincreased power consumption in such module, the liquid crystal justabove the module may begin to boil and form bubbles. The boiling of theliquid crystal above the module may lead to discoloration and theappearance of “spots” over the module with excessive power consumption.In this way, the specific module with excessive power consumption may beidentified under a microscope and proper adjustments may be performed onthe module and/or the chip. If, on the other hand, there are no moduleswithin the chip that are characterized with excessive power consumption,the liquid crystal hardens uniformly without any “spots” ordiscolorations.

While this conventional method may be effective in analyzing powerconsumption within a chip, it is very impractical and time-consumingsince the chip has to be separated from the handset, placed on a specialboard, decapped, covered with liquid crystal, powered-up and thenanalyzed under a microscope. Furthermore, it is very difficult toeffectively perform such operations while the device is in operation.Additionally, issues with power consumption manifest themselves duringoperation.

Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditionalapproaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, throughcomparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention asset forth in the remainder of the present application with reference tothe drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Certain aspects of the invention may be found in a method and system formonitoring operating status of a device. Aspects of the method maycomprise receiving within a chip, a wireless signal indicative of apower information of an on-chip device and generating from within thechip, a wireless output signal indicative of the power information whilethe chip is operating. The power information may comprise powerconsumption. The generated wireless output signal may be communicatedoutside the chip via an antenna and/or an infrared transmitter ortransceiver interface. A power information query signal corresponding tothe on-chip device may be received wirelessly within the chip and theon-chip device may generate a wireless output signal indicative of thepower information, corresponding to the received power information querysignal.

The generated wireless output signal may comprise a clock signal and/ora data signal and the data signal may comprise sequential powerinformation for one or more on-chip devices. After acquiring a firstwireless signal indicative of the power information of the on-chipdevice, a second wireless signal indicative of the power information ofthe on-chip device may also be acquired. A difference between the firstand the second wireless signals may be determined and the difference maybe reported if it is non-zero. The second wireless signal indicative ofthe power information of the on-chip device may be reported if thedetermined difference is non-zero.

Aspects of the system may comprise at least one signal generator thatgenerates within a chip a wireless signal indicative of a powerinformation of an on-chip device, where the signal generator may becoupled to a power rail within the chip. At least one power analyzer mayreceive within the chip, the wireless signal indicative of the powerinformation and the power analyzer may generate from within the chip, awireless output signal indicative of the power information while thechip is operating. The power analyzer may communicate the generatedwireless output signal outside the chip via an antenna and/or aninfrared transmitter or transceiver interface. The signal generator mayreceive wirelessly within the chip, a power information query signalcorresponding to the on-chip device.

The signal generator may generate a wireless output signal indicative ofthe power information, corresponding to the received power informationquery signal. The generated wireless output signal may comprise a clocksignal and/or a data signal and the data signal may comprise sequentialpower information for one or more on-chip devices. The power analyzerafter acquiring a first wireless signal indicative of the powerinformation of the on-chip device, may acquire a second wireless signalindicative of the power information of the on-chip device. The poweranalyzer may then determine a difference between the first wirelesssignal and the second wireless signal. The power analyzer may report thedetermined difference if the determined difference is non-zero. Thepower analyzer may also report the second wireless signal indicative ofthe power information of the on-chip device if the determined differenceis non-zero.

These and other advantages, aspects and novel features of the presentinvention, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof, willbe more fully understood from the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary chip architecture utilizingwireless connectivity, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the exemplary chip architecture of FIG. 1illustrating power information output via a serial bus, in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the exemplary chip architecture of FIG. 1illustrating power information output via separate pin connections, inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the exemplary chip architecture of FIG. 1illustrating power information output via a general purpose input/outputconnection, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary system utilizing wirelesspower information monitoring, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram illustrating exemplary power informationtiming, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Certain aspects of the invention may be found in a method and system formonitoring operating status of a device, such as a wireless handset forexample. A signal indicative of a power information of an on-chip devicemay be received wirelessly by a main power analyzer module within achip. The power information may comprise power consumption. The chip maycomprise a plurality of component integrated circuits (ICs) integratedon a single package. One or more on-chip devices may each utilizeseparate power analyzers that may be adapted to acquire powerinformation corresponding to each device and communicate the acquiredpower information to the main power analyzer within the chip. An outputsignal indicative of the received power information may be generatedwithin the chip, while the chip is operating. The signal indicative ofthe power information may be communicated outside the chip via anantenna and/or an infrared transmitter or transceiver interface. In oneaspect of the invention, each on-chip device power analyzer may beadapted to receive a query signal for power information corresponding toeach on-chip device. The on-chip device power analyzer may individuallyacquire such power information and wirelessly communicate at least aportion of the acquired power information outside the chip. The powerinformation signal may then be processed by an external processingsystem such as a computer (PC). An external device such as a PC maydisplay a list, for example, of the devices within the chip that utilizethe most power. Other processing may be done by the external device oncethe signal indicative of power information is communicated outside thechip.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary chip architecture 100utilizing wireless connectivity, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. The chip 100 may comprise a plurality of component integratedcircuits (ICs) integrated on a single package. For example, the chip 100may comprise a processor 101, a digital signal processor (DSP) 103,memory 105, a hardware accelerator module 115, a security module 107, avoice coder module 117, a serial interface 109, a main power analyzermodule 119, a voice output module 111, a voice input module 113, ananalog processing module 121, and device power analyzer modules 150through 164. The analog processing module 121 may comprise an analogtransmit (TX) module 123, an analog receive (RX) module 125, an analogconverter 127 and an analog amplifier 129.

The chip 100 may be connected to a voltage source VDD 135 and a groundconnection 137. The chip 100 may receive and output signals via generalpurpose input/output (GPIO) pins 139. The voice output module 111 may beadapted to generate output audio signals to a speaker 141. The voiceinput module 113 may be adapted to receive voice signals via amicrophone 143. The analog TX module 123 may be adapted to transmit ananalog signal 131, and the analog RX module 125 may be adapted toreceive an analog signal 133, which may subsequently be processed by theanalog converter 127 and the analog amplifier 129.

The hardware accelerator module 115 comprises suitable circuitry, logicand/or code that may be adapted to perform channel coding within thechip 100. The voice coder module 117 comprises suitable circuitry, logicand/or code that may be adapted to perform voice coding within the chip100. The main power analyzer module 119 comprises suitable circuitry,logic and/or code that may be adapted to receive wirelessly powerinformation related to modules within the chip 100. For example, themain power analyzer module 119 may be adapted to receive powerinformation wirelessly communicated from the device power analyzers 150through 164. The received power information may corresponding to powerconsumption within the processor 101, the security module 107, the voiceoutput module 111, the voice input module 113, the DSP 103, the hardwareaccelerator 115, the voice coder module 117, and the analog processingmodule 121, respectively.

The device power analyzers 150 through 164 comprise suitable circuitry,logic and/or code and may be adapted to acquire power information fromthe processor 101, the security module 107, the voice output module 111,the voice input module 113, the DSP 103, the hardware accelerator 115,the voice coder module 117, and the analog processing module 121,respectively. Each of the device power analyzer modules 150 through 164may be integrated as a separate component on the chip 100 and maycomprise a transmitter or transceiver interface adapted to wirelesslyreceive one or more query signals and generate a wireless responsesignal indicative of power information. After power information isacquired from the corresponding on-chip device, each of the device poweranalyzers 150 through 164 may communicate the power informationwirelessly outside the chip 100 or to the main power analyzer module 119for further processing, such as communication outside the chip 100.

In an exemplary aspect of the invention, each of the device poweranalyzers 150 through 164 may be adapted to receive a wireless querysignal and, as a result, may acquire power information and generate awireless response signal indicative of the acquired power information. Awireless response signal may then be communicated by each of the devicepower analyzers 150 through 164 outside the chip 100 or to the mainpower analyzer 100 for further processing. The wireless response signalmay be communicated via an antenna and/or an infrared transmitter ortransceiver interface, for example.

In operation, the main power analyzer module 119 may obtain powerinformation associated with on-chip devices within the chip 100 viawireless signals from the on-chip devices. For example, powerinformation such as power consumption may be individually measured inreal time for each module within the chip 100. In one aspect of theinvention, the main power analyzer module 119 may be adapted to outputwirelessly a clock signal 145 and a data signal 147. The data signal 147may comprise sequential power information related to modules or on-chipdevices within the chip 100. The data signal 147 and the clock signal145 may be communicated wirelessly outside the chip 100 for furtherprocessing. For example, the data signal 147 and the clock signal 145may be communicated by the main power analyzer 119 via an antenna and/orvia an infrared transmitter or transceiver interface.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the exemplary chip architecture of FIG. 1illustrating power information output via a serial bus, in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the chip 200may comprise a processor 201, a digital signal processor (DSP) 217,memory 204, a hardware accelerator module 221, a security module 205, avoice coder module 225, a serial interface 206, a main power analyzermodule 233, a voice output module 209, a voice input module 213, ananalog processing module 229, resistor drops 203, 207, 211, 215, 219,223, 227 and 231, device power analyzer modules 240 through 254, and apower rail 239 for supplying power to all modules within the chip 200.For example, the power rail 239 may supply power to the processor 201,the security module 205, the voice output module 209, the voice inputmodule 213, the DSP 217, the hardware accelerator 221, the voice codermodule 225 and the analog block 229. Power information 235, such aspower consumption, may be acquired from each of the resistor drops 203,207, 211, 215, 219, 223, 227 and 231 and may be communicated wirelesslyto the main power analyzer module 233.

The device power analyzers 240 through 254 comprise suitable circuitry,logic and/or code and may be adapted to acquire power information fromthe processor 201, the security module 205, the voice output module 209,the voice input module 213, the DSP 217, the hardware accelerator 221,the voice coder module 225, and the analog processing module 229,respectively. Each of the device power analyzer modules 240 through 254may be integrated as a separate component on the chip 200 and maycomprise a transmitter or transceiver interface adapted to wirelesslyreceive one or more query signals and generate a wireless responsesignal indicative of power information. After power information isacquired from the corresponding on-chip device, each of the device poweranalyzers 240 through 254 may be adapted to communicate the powerinformation wirelessly to the main power analyzer module 233 for furtherprocessing, such as communication outside the chip 100.

In an exemplary aspect of the invention, each of the device poweranalyzers 240 through 254 may utilize resistor drops R1, R2, R3, R4, R5,R6, R7 and R8 to measure power information, such as power consumption,within the processor 201, the security module 205, the voice outputmodule 209, the voice input module 213, the DSP 217, the hardwareaccelerator 221, the voice coder module 225, and the analog processingmodule 229, respectively. The resistor drops 203, 207, 211, 215, 219,223, 227 and 231 may be adapted to measure power information, such aspower consumption, in real time and to communicate the measured powerinformation to a corresponding device power analyzer. Each of the devicepower analyzers 240 through 254 may then communicate the acquired powerinformation wirelessly to the main power analyzer 233. For example,power information 235 from each of the resistor drops 203, 207, 211,215, 219, 223, 227 and 231 may be communicated wirelessly to the mainpower analyzer module 233 for further processing.

In another aspect of the invention, after the main power analyzer module233 wirelessly receives the power information 235, the power information235 may be communicated externally via a serial bus connection 237. A“round robin” scheme may be utilized where the main power analyzermodule 233 outputs consecutive power information for specific moduleswithin the chip 200, so that power information for all power-consumingmodules within the chip 200 may be outputted via the serial bus 237 fora determined period of time.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the exemplary chip architecture of FIG. 1illustrating power information output via separate pin connections, inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 3, thechip 300 may comprise a processor 302, a digital signal processor (DSP)310, memory 323, a hardware accelerator module 312, a security module304, a voice coder module 314, a serial interface 325, a main poweranalyzer module 317, a voice output module 306, a voice input module308, an analog processing module 316, resistor drops 301, 303, 305, 307,309, 311, 313 and 315, and device power analyzers 340 through 354. Powerinformation 319, such as power consumption, may be acquired from each ofthe resistor drops 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311, 313 and 315 and may becommunicated wirelessly to the main power analyzer module 317.

In an exemplary aspect of the invention, each of the device poweranalyzers 340 through 354 may utilize resistor drops R1 through R8 tomeasure power information within the processor 302, the security module304, the voice output module 306, the voice input module 308, the DSP310, the hardware accelerator 312, the voice coder module 314, and theanalog processing module 316, respectively. The resistor drops 301through 315 may be adapted to measure the power information, includingpower consumption, in real time and to communicate the measured powerinformation to a corresponding device power analyzer. Each of the devicepower analyzer modules 340 through 354 may be integrated as a separatecomponent on the chip 300 and may comprise a transmitter or transceiverinterface adapted to wirelessly receive one or more query signals andgenerate a wireless response signal indicative of power information. Forexample, each of the device power analyzers 340 through 354 maycommunicate the acquired power information wirelessly to the main poweranalyzer 317. For example, power information from each of the resistordrops 301 through 315 may be communicated wirelessly to the main poweranalyzer module 317 for further processing.

In another aspect of the invention, after the main power analyzer module317 wirelessly receives the power information 319, the power information319 may be communicated outside the chip 300 via separate pinconnections 321. Each of the separate pin connections 321 may beindicative of power information for a single module or for a pluralityof modules within the chip 300.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the exemplary chip architecture of FIG. 1illustrating power information output via a general purpose input/outputconnection, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referringto FIG. 4, the chip 400 may comprise a processor 402, a digital signalprocessor (DSP) 410, memory 423, a hardware accelerator module 412, asecurity module 404, a voice coder module 414, a serial interface 425, apower analyzer module 417, a voice output module 406, a voice inputmodule 408, an analog processing module 416, resistor drops 401 through415, and device power analyzers 440 through 454. Power information 419,such as power consumption, may be acquired from each of the resistordrops 401 through 415 and may be communicated wirelessly to the mainpower analyzer module 417.

In an exemplary aspect of the invention, each of the device poweranalyzers 440 through 454 may utilize resistor drops R1 through R8 tomeasure power information within the processor 402, the security module404, the voice output module 406, the voice input module 408, the DSP410, the hardware accelerator 412, the voice coder module 414, and theanalog processing module 416, respectively. The resistor drops 401through 415 may be adapted to measure power information, including powerconsumption, in real time and to communicate the measured powerinformation to a corresponding device power analyzer. Each of the devicepower analyzer modules 440 through 454 may be integrated as a separatecomponent on the chip 400 and may comprise a transmitter or transceiverinterface adapted to wirelessly receive one or more query signals andgenerate a wireless response signal indicative of power information. Forexample, each of the device power analyzers 440 through 454 may thencommunicate the acquired power information wirelessly to the main poweranalyzer 417. For example, power information from each of the resistordrops 401 through 415 may be communicated wirelessly to the main poweranalyzer module 417 for further processing.

In another aspect of the invention, after the power analyzer module 417wirelessly receives the power information 419, the power information 419may be communicated outside the chip 400 via a general purposeinput/output (GPIO) connection 421. The GPIO 421 may be coupled to amultiplexer within the chip 400 so that output power information may becommunicated via the GPIO 421.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 500 utilizing wirelesspower information monitoring, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. Referring to FIG. 5, the system 500 may comprise a chip 501,an external interface 503, an external processing device 505, andantennas 515, 517, and 519. The chip 501 may be adapted for use in awireless handset and may be similar to the chip 100 illustrated on FIG.1.

The chip 501 may comprise a main power analyzer module 507, a wirelessinterface 508, and a plurality of device power analyzer modules 520through 528. Each of the device power analyzer modules 520 through 528may be coupled to an on-chip device within the chip 501 and may beadapted to acquire power information, such as power consumption, andcommunicate it wirelessly outside the chip 501 and/or to the main poweranalyzer module 507. For example, each of the device power analyzermodules 520 through 528 may receive a wireless query signal for powerinformation. In response, each of the device power analyzer modules 520through 528 may acquire power information from the corresponding on-chipdevice, for example through resistor drops, and may generate a responsesignal. The response signal indicative of power consumption, forexample, may be communicated wirelessly outside the chip 501 and/or tothe main power analyzer module 507 for further processing. Each of thedevice power analyzer modules 520 through 528 may be adapted tocommunicate the response signal indicative of power consumption to thewireless interface 508. In addition, the power analyzer module 507 maycommunicate one or more response signals indicative of power consumptionto the wireless interface 508. The wireless interface 508 may be adaptedto transmit wirelessly outside the chip 501 the acquired powerconsumption information via the antenna 515.

The main power analyzer module 507 comprises suitable circuitry, codeand/or logic and may be adapted to wirelessly receive power informationrelated to modules within the chip 501. In addition, the main poweranalyzer module 507 may communicate the received power information tothe interface 503 via the connection 511. The connection 511 maycomprise a serial bus or a wireless connection, for example. Inaddition, the power analyzer module 507 may be adapted to communicatesignals indicative of on-chip power consumption to the wirelessinterface 508 for wireless transmission via the antenna 515.

The external interface 503 may comprise a programmable processor 509 andan antenna 517. The programmable processor 509 may comprise a fieldprogrammable gate array (FPGA), for example. The interface 503 may alsocomprise an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Theinterface 503 may be adapted to pre-process the power informationreceived from the chip 501 so that it may be further processed by theprocessing device 505. The pre-processed power information may becommunicated from the interface 503 to the external processing device505 via the connection 513. The connection 513 may comprise a serialbus, for example. In an exemplary aspect of the invention, the externalinterface may comprise an antenna 517 and may be adapted to receivewirelessly from the chip 501 signals indicative of on-chip powerconsumption within the chip 501.

The external processing device 505 may comprise a PC or other externalmonitoring device that may be adapted to process the power informationreceived from the interface 503. In one aspect of the invention, theexternal processing device 505 may be adapted to display a list with adetermined number of devices within the chip 501 with their respectivepower information. For example, the external processing device 505 maydisplay a list of the top ten power-consuming modules within the chip501 and the exact power that was, or is being, consumed. In one aspectof the invention, real-time power information may be collected by thepower analyzer module 507 within the chip 501 and communicated to theprocessing device 505 via the interface 503. In another aspect of theinvention, the external processing device 505 may be adapted to providea visual indication of the amount of power being consumed by one or moremodules coupled to the chip 501. The visual indication may include oneor more LEDs. In yet another exemplary aspect of the invention, theexternal processing device 505 may comprise an antenna 519 and may beadapted to wirelessly receive signals indicative of the powerconsumption within the chip 501. Such signals may be received by theprocessing device 505 from the external interface 503 and/or from thechip 501, for example.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram 600 illustrating exemplary power informationtiming, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The graphicaldiagram 600 illustrates a timing diagram of a clock signal 601 and powerinformation data 603. In one aspect of the invention, a power analyzermodule, for example, which may be integrated within a chip, may beadapted to wirelessly receive power information related to moduleswithin the chip. The power analyzer module may then output the powerinformation data and a clock signal via a wireless signal for furtherprocessing outside the chip. The power information data and the clocksignal may be characterized by the timing diagrams 603 and 601,respectively.

In one aspect of the invention, a determined number of clock cycles mayrepresent the power information, such as power consumption, of aspecific block within the chip. For example, current power consumptionwithin a specific block may be associated with a determined number ofactive bits. In this way, the power information data 603 may representpower consumption for a first block 605 and for a second block 607within the chip. Each block within the chip may be associated with fourbits, for example. Since the second block 607 contains four active bitsand the first block 605 contains two active bits, it may be determinedthat the second block 607 is currently consuming more power than thefirst block 605.

Accordingly, the present invention may be realized in hardware,software, or a combination of hardware and software. The presentinvention may be realized in a centralized fashion in at least onecomputer system, or in a distributed fashion where different elementsare spread across several interconnected computer systems. Any kind ofcomputer system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methodsdescribed herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware andsoftware may be a general-purpose computer system with a computerprogram that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computersystem such that it carries out the methods described herein.

The present invention may also be embedded in a computer programproduct, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation ofthe methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer systemis able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the presentcontext means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of aset of instructions intended to cause a system having an informationprocessing capability to perform a particular function either directlyor after either or both of the following: a) conversion to anotherlanguage, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different materialform.

While the present invention has been described with reference to certainembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. In addition, manymodifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material tothe teachings of the present invention without departing from its scope.Therefore, it is intended that the present invention not be limited tothe particular embodiment disclosed, but that the present invention willinclude all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A method for monitoring operating status of a device, the methodcomprising: receiving within a chip, a wireless signal indicative of apower information of an on-chip device; and generating from within saidchip, a wireless output signal indicative of said power informationwhile said chip is operating.
 2. The method according to claim 1,wherein said power information comprises power consumption.
 3. Themethod according to claim 1, further comprising communicating saidgenerated wireless output signal outside said chip.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 3, further comprising communicating said generatedwireless output signal via at least one of an antenna and an infraredtransmitter or transceiver interface.
 5. The method according to claim1, further comprising receiving wirelessly within said chip, a powerinformation query signal corresponding to said on-chip device.
 6. Themethod according to claim 5, further comprising generating by saidon-chip device a wireless output signal indicative of said powerinformation, corresponding to said received power information querysignal.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said generatedwireless output signal comprises a clock signal.
 8. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein said generated wireless output signal comprises adata signal.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said datasignal comprises sequential power information for a plurality of on-chipdevices.
 10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising afteracquiring a first wireless signal indicative of said power informationof said on-chip device, acquiring a second wireless signal indicative ofsaid power information of said on-chip device.
 11. The method accordingto claim 10, further comprising determining a difference between saidfirst wireless signal and said second wireless signal.
 12. The methodaccording to claim 11, further comprising reporting said determineddifference if said determined difference is non-zero.
 13. The methodaccording to claim 11, further comprising reporting said second wirelesssignal indicative of said power information of said on-chip device ifsaid determined difference is non-zero.
 14. A system for monitoringoperating status of a device, the system comprising: at least one signalgenerator that generates within a chip a wireless signal indicative of apower information of an on-chip device, the at least one signalgenerator coupled to a power rail within said chip; at least one poweranalyzer that receives within said chip said wireless signal indicativeof said power information; and said at least one power analyzergenerates from within said chip, a wireless output signal indicative ofsaid power information while said chip is operating.
 15. The systemaccording to claim 14, wherein said power information comprises powerconsumption.
 16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said at leastone power analyzer communicates said generated wireless output signaloutside said chip.
 17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said atleast one power analyzer communicates said generated wireless outputsignal via at least one of an antenna and an infrared transmitter ortransceiver interface.
 18. The system according to claim 14, whereinsaid at least one signal generator receives wirelessly within said chip,a power information query signal corresponding to said on-chip device.19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one signalgenerator generates a wireless output signal indicative of said powerinformation, corresponding to said received power information querysignal.
 20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said generatedwireless output signal comprises a clock signal.
 21. The systemaccording to claim 14, wherein said generated wireless output signalcomprises a data signal.
 22. The system according to claim 21, whereinsaid data signal comprises sequential power information for a pluralityof on-chip devices.
 23. The system according to claim 14, wherein saidat least one power analyzer after acquiring a first wireless signalindicative of said power information of said on-chip device, acquires asecond wireless signal indicative of said power information of saidon-chip device.
 24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said atleast one power analyzer determines a difference between said firstwireless signal and said second wireless signal.
 25. The systemaccording to claim 24, wherein said at least one power analyzer reportssaid determined difference if said determined difference is non-zero.26. The system according to claim 24, wherein said at least one poweranalyzer reports said second wireless signal indicative of said powerinformation of said on-chip device if said determined difference isnon-zero.